Logistics Management

Michael Regan

Choose To Be A Difference Maker in 2008
January 7, 2008

Be A Difference Maker In 2008.

As we head in to 2008, you can’t say things are boring in logistics. Oil has broken the $100 per barrel mark; the economy appears to be faltering; and while the FMCSA has issued their decision on the hours of service (HOS), another challenge in court is already underway, and potential Congressional intervention is likely. And that’s just beginning. On top of that, your company is most likely expecting you to do more with less, and wants you to lower corporate transportation costs.

With challenges like these, it might be appropriate to ask: Are you up to it? Years ago, I was talking to a mentor and legendary logistics educator about what it takes to be a “difference maker” in logistics. He noted that the biggest impediment to being a difference maker is the choice to play it safe and not rock the boat versus recommending and implementing ideas that can change and improve a company’s logistics and supply chain operations.

To be blunt, when people are asked if they want to be a difference maker, they invariably say “Yes.” After all, which one of our readers wants to do an average or even mediocre job? If you’re interested in being a difference maker in 2008, then ask yourself the following questions:

Do you know what making a difference looks like? Ideally, the answer would be yes, but I never ceased to be amazed at how few people can actually define what or how they can make a difference in their companies. When they’re asked how they are performing, they commonly answer: “I guess I’m doing OK,” or they rely upon their annual review to answer that question. But the annual review process has its shortcomings. Your boss may be clueless to what you actually accomplished during the year, and only you can truthfully determine whether you’ve given it 110% throughout the year. That is why it can be helpful for you to sit down and write out how you can make a difference for your company.

Are you prepared to stand up for what you believe? Over the years logistics professionals have shared a common frustration with me: They work for a company, or a department of a company that routinely does stupid things, or squanders opportunities to save money. And then they say something like: “I’d love to be a consultant for this company and get paid a fraction of what they would save if they just listened to me.” Sound familiar? On a couple of occasions, I’ve asked: “If you really believe that, why don’t you do something about it?” Candidly, it’s not a question they like hearing. But people who are willing to stand up for what they believe will invest the extra effort to build credibility and make sure their ideas are well thought out and effectively presented.

What are you willing to risk in order to do be a difference maker? Let’s face it, one of the reasons people play it safe is because they need the rotten stinking job. So I asked my mentor what he would say to that professional who was concerned about losing their job if they were to rock the boat. He stated that we each have decisions to make in our life and one of those decisions is what we are willing to risk in order to make a difference. And then he asked me: “Why would anyone in this country want to have a job where they were afraid they’d be fired for wanting to see the company be better?

These are not easy questions to answer, but I’d encourage you to consider them as you head in to 2008. In case you need some motivation, with everything that is happening with the economy and logistics, and having talked with enough CEO’s and Presidents, it is my belief that companies are currently looking for difference makers who can do a great job. They’ll either get that from you, your replacement, or some consulting firm that convinces one of those C-Level executives that the real problem isn’t their lack of support for the logistics function; it’s their personnel who are always playing it safe. We all know better so let’s choose to be a difference maker in 2008!

TranzAct Technologies, Inc.

Posted by Michael Regan on January 7, 2008 | Comments (0)